Camera handgrip

ABSTRACT

A handgrip for a camera. The handgrip has an index finger guide for aiming of the camera and has a thumb-operated shutter release.

[22] Filed "(451' Patented United States Patent Jackson J. Shinkle 1904 N. Geyer Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63131 21] Appl. No. 743,826

July 10, 1968 Aug. 31, 1971 [72] Inventor [54] CAMERA HANDGRIP v l 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

' [52] vs. C] 95/86 [SI] .Int. Cl. ..G03b 17/56 {50] Field oiSea'rcl 95/86;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,621,903 3/1927 Rossiter 2,140,050 12/1938 Hart .Q .1 95/86 X 2,261,953 11/1941 Brown... 95/86 X 2,793,573 5/1957 Cuchet..... 95/86 X 2,949,838 8/1960 Skalabrin 95/86 2,961,937 11/1960 Karpf 95/86 3,434,406 3/1969 Aune et a1. 95/86 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,052,804 95/86 3/1959 Germany Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examinerl(enneth C. Hutchison AnorneyRogers, Ezell, Eilers & Robbins ABSTRACT: A handgrip for a camera. The handgrip iias an index finger guide for aiming of the camera and has a thumboperated shutter release.

PATENTEU mm |97| 3,602,128

JACKSON J. SHIIVKLE,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE'INVENTION The handgrip of this invention preferably is in the form of a pistol grip. It may be made or cast separately with a suitable locking attachment to a camera, or it may be made or cast as an integral part of the body of the camera so that camera and grip are unitary and nondetachable.

The grip is generally sized to be held by the thumb and all but the index finger of a hand. There is'a special guide for the index finger. The guide is directed parallel to the direction of the picture-taking lens.

The grip thus takes advantage of the fact that there is significantly enhanced hand-to-eye coordination between a direction or object toward which the eyes are looking, and the direction or object at which the index finger is pointing. In the case of this camera handgrip, the operator looks at the object he wants to photograph, and pointshis index finger at the thing he is viewing. By this'device, therefore, the operator can aim the camera even if he is holding it at waist level. The

' handgrip is particularly suitable and desirable for candid picture taking, such as closeups and semicloseups at social gatherings and the like.

I The handgrip incorporates a shutter actuator button. This is in the form of a flexible cable of the kind that can be conventionally connected to a camera. In this handgrip, the cable is actuated by a depressible element located at the thumb position of the handgrip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the handgrip.

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation view of the handgrip.

FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the handgrip.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic right elevation view showing an operator holding the handgrip, and showing the handgrip connected to a camera.

- FIG. 7 is a left side elevation view of the handgrip, camera and operator's hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This handgrip 10 comprises a gripper section 11 formed similar to a pistol grip so that it may be gripped by the palm and lower fingers of the hand H. The grip 10 illustrated is for a right hand. There is an inwardly curved section 12 for receiving and positioning the upper portion of the palm between the index finger and thumb. Another hand positioner comprises an enlarged butt at the lower end of the gripper section 11. The lower portion of the hand is positioned against the butt 13. As another hand positioner, the gripper section 11 may include a notch 14 at its front for positioning themiddle finger of the hand which holds the hand grip.

Extending forwardly and above'the gripper section 11, the camera handgrip 10 is divided into two sides 15 and 16. Partially below the upper edges of the sides 15 and 16, there is a shelf 17 formed between the sides 15 and 16. There are wall portions l8, l9, and 20 on three sides of the shelf 17. These wall sections l8, l9, and 20, may be varied in shape and size, and the spacing between the sides 15 and 16 may be varied as determined by the size or kind of camera C that is to be mounted with the camerahandgrip 10. For this mounting, the shelf 17 has a countersunk hole 21 to it (see FIG. 4) through which a setscrew 22 may extend for-threading into an appropriate recess that is conventionally present in commercial cameras, suchas the camera C.

An important feature of this invention is the fact that the y side 16 of the grip 10 has a forwardly directed index finger rest '23 against which the index finger of the hand bears when'the hand is holding the handgrip 10 (see FIG. 6). The index finger rest 23 is slightly outwardly bowed toward its center 24 and gives the index Inger some slight support, although the index finger is intended to be directed in the line of the index finger rest 23 with the rest 23 acting primarily as a guide. The index finger rest 23 extends in the direction the picture-taking lens L of the camera C is aimed (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

The other side 15 of the camera handgrip I0 has a recessed section 25 that is curved to receive and cradle the thumb of the hand H. As shown in FIG. 5, a depressible operating button 26 of a flexible shutter release cable 27 extends through anappropriate opening 28 in the side 15 and is held in place by a suitable ferrule 29 affixed to the cable 27 and locked in place by a setscew 30. The cable 27is connected to the camera C as is conventional for such cables. The button 26 is positioned for operation by the thumb of the hand Hholding the camera C.

Operation and Use The camera handgrip '10 is prepared for use by connecting it to a camera C by use of the bolt 22. Alternatively, the

handgrip 10 may be formed as an integral part of the body of the camera, but is otherwise a conventional camera like the camera C. Preferably, the camera C is very inexpensive construction that is designed primarily for taking candid photographs from distances within the range of 3 to 15 feet, although other designs for the camera C may be incorporated.

To use the handgrip 10 with camera C attached, the grip is gripped as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 with the lower three fingers and the thumb surrounding the gripper sectional 11 as positioned by the guides 12, 13, ,and I4, and with the index finger resting against the index finger rest 23 and the thumb extending within the thumb locator 16.

When it is desiredto take a picture, the index finger is simply pointed at an object or at a person or a portion of a person toward which the operator is looking. The camera need not be sighted at the eye or through any viewing lens as is conventional because the hand-to-eye coordination correlating the pointing of an index finger to the direction of eye viewing is very accurate. Finally, the operator depresses the button 26 and the shutter release cable 27 does its conventional job of releasing the shutter of the camera C.

Thus, this invention enables the operator to take candid photographs without interrupting his other activities and without drawing attention of the subject to the fact that the photograph is being taken.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the purview of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A handgrip for supporting a camera comprising a grip by which the hand of an operator may hold the camera, an index finger guide incorporated in the grip, the index finger guide being directed in the same direction as the picture-taking lens of the camera, the index finger guide being elongated to guide the index finger in a fully extended position and having a longitudinal recess for receiving the index finger of the hand for pointing toward the subject to be photographed during operation of the camera shutter, a thumb positioner incorporated in the handgrip, and depressible button means located and supported at the thumb positioner for thumb actuation to release the shutter of the camera.

2. The handgrip of claim 1 including mean to disconnect the handgrip from the camera.

3. The camera handgrip of claim 1 including means formed in the grip for positioning the hand of the operator. 

1. A handgrip for supporting a camera comprising a grip by which the hand of an operator may hold the camera, an index finger guide incorporated in the grip, the index finger guide being directed in the same direction as the picture-taking lens of the camera, the index finger guide being elongated to guide the index finger in a fully extended position and having a longitudinal recess for receiving the index finger of the hand for pointing toward the subject to be photographed during operation of the camera shutter, a thumb positioner incorporated in the handgrip, and depressible button meaNs located and supported at the thumb positioner for thumb actuation to release the shutter of the camera.
 2. The handgrip of claim 1 including means to disconnect the handgrip from the camera.
 3. The camera handgrip of claim 1 including means formed in the grip for positioning the hand of the operator. 